Vivian paced her office, phone clutched tightly in her hand. Her normally composed demeanor had crumbled, replaced by genuine fear. The walls of her spacious office felt like they were closing in on her. After three failed attempts, she dialed Karvel's number again."Pick up, damn it," she whispered, her knuckles white around the phone.In his luxurious hotel suite, Karvel glared at his vibrating phone. The name "Vivian Fairchild" flashed on the screen for the fourth time. With an irritated sigh, he finally answered."What do you want, Vivian? I thought we were done," Karvel's voice was cold, detached."Karvel, listen to me," Vivian's voice trembled slightly. "You need to be careful. There are dangerous men coming after you.""What are you talking about?" Karvel's interest was piqued despite his annoyance."Just trust me. I got a tip. They're Leo's men, and they're not the kind who just rough people up. They're—" she hesitated, "—they're killers, Karvel.""And why would you care?" he

Vivian’s brows pulled together, her voice laced with disbelief. “Save my company? Karvel, what are you even talking about?”Karvel didn’t budge, standing tall in the center of her hotel suite like he owned it. “Leo pulled his funding. Thirty-seven percent of your liquid capital just vanished. I know the timing, the reason, and the consequences. You’ve got three weeks before operations grind to a halt.”She folded her arms, her pride snapping into place like armor. “You must be confused. It’s a minor issue. Nothing I can’t handle.”He chuckled darkly. “Minor? Sure. Minor like a bullet wound in the neck. Stop pretending you’re not drowning, Vivian.”Her eyes flared with defiance. “Even if that were true, why would you care?”Karvel moved closer, eyes locked on hers, voice low and pointed. “Because I don’t like watching people I respect get destroyed by narcissistic cowards in designer suits.”Vivian scoffed. “Respect? Please. Don’t try to play the knight here. You’re just looking for a

"He's dead," she whispered to herself, struggling to process what she'd just witnessed. "No human being could survive that fall."The thugs had rushed to the window, leaning dangerously over the ledge as they peered into the darkness below."Do you see a body?" the scarred leader demanded, his voice sharp with frustration."Nothing," one of his men replied, squinting. "Too dark down there.""Spread out! Check every floor below," the leader barked. "Find him! Mr. Romano wants proof!"They stormed out of the room, their heavy footsteps fading down the hallway. Vivian waited several minutes, trembling, before emerging from her hiding place. She approached the window cautiously, as if it might pull her out too, and looked down."Insane," she muttered, backing away. "What kind of man jumps rather than faces his enemies?"Her hands still shaking, she retrieved her phone and dialed Sophia."Vivian?" Sophia's voice was thick with sleep. "Do you have any idea what time it is?""He's dead," Viv

The news of Karvel's "death" spread through Carson City like wildfire. Mariya sat frozen in Leo's expansive living room, her heart sinking as she watched the thugs celebrate what they believed was a successful mission. The smartphone video of Karvel's Porsche plummeting off the cliff played on repeat, each viewing driving the knife deeper into her chest."A toast!" Leo declared, raising his crystal glass of aged whiskey. "To the perfect end of Karvel Cross—the nobody who didn't know his place!"Drake and his men laughed raucously, clinking their glasses. Ethan Carter joined in enthusiastically."Couldn't have happened to a more deserving loser," Ethan sneered, his face flushed with malicious glee. "My sister wasted years of her life on that worthless bum."Mrs. Carter nodded with satisfaction. "Good riddance to bad rubbish. Now Mariya can finally move forward with someone worthy of her status."Mariya remained silent, her thoughts in turmoil. He can't be dead. Not Karvel. He always fo

The sleek private jet cut through the clouds with effortless grace, its luxurious interior a stark contrast to the turbulent thoughts in Vivian's mind. She glanced sideways at Karvel, who sat completely at ease in the plush leather seat, typing something on his phone."So, this is your friend's private jet?" Vivian asked, breaking the silence that had settled between them since takeoff.Karvel looked up briefly. "Yes. Markos lends it to me occasionally.""Markos..." Vivian repeated, eyebrows raised. "As in Markos Antonis? The richest man in Carson City? That Markos?""Is there another?" Karvel replied with a hint of sarcasm.Vivian studied him with renewed interest. "And he just... lends you his multi-million dollar jet whenever you ask? What exactly did you do for him?""We have history," Karvel answered vaguely. "Not everything is transactional, Vivian.""In my experience, everything is," she countered sharply. "Especially among the wealthy."Who is this man really? Vivian wondered,